Details

Your day of skiing doesn't have to end after one accidental deployment.

You can't predict the future, but you can be prepared when you head into the backcountry with a little help from the Backcountry Access Float Cylinder. Even though your airbag-equipped BCA backpack may already have a charged cylinder ready to go, it's always a good to have a backup ... you know, just in case you accidentally set it off while demonstrating your benign intentions to an adamant border agent.

After cylinder has been used, send it back to BCA for refilling (costs approximately $50 including shipping and handling) or take it to a BCA-authorized refill station (costs approximately $20 dollars if no shipping is involved)

Be sure to check with airlines about flight restrictions prior to arrival at airport

View

Refill it yourself

Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

I bought one of these for my recently purchased BCA Float 22 pack. I also purchased a Benjamin High Pressure Hand Pump off Amazon so I can refill this myself. The pump readily connects to the BCA cylinder, so no extra parts needed. Now I can test my airbag periodically and not deal with the hassle of exchanging/returning/paying to refill the canister.

Post a Comment

Super Simple

Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Read through the instructions and this canister is really easy to install. Refills are relatively cheap (I paid about $10 at a local board shop) so I would recommend testing it in the parking lot to make sure that you have a clear understanding of hookup and use.

Post a Comment

Very easy

Familiarity: I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

I traveled with this but only actually deployed this as practice, but thought I'd share what I found out so far. First, it is very easy to refill, even in a city (scuba shop). 2nd it is very easy to install (did it into the Float 22) with just 2 pairs of pieces to screw together (follow the manual the first time and then it's super easy after that). Deploying the canister and filling the airbag is easy, with a strong pull of the trigger cable. Travel is easy - deploy the airbag thus emptying the canister, unscrew the top, put the bottle and the valve in a ziplock, and you will be good to go. I took BCAs travel instructions with me to the airport just in case they gave me any issues, but nothing thankfully. Took it from the US to Canada, and again, easy to get refilled (Banff area).

Post a Comment

Great for traveling

Familiarity: I've put it through the wringer

The compressed air (BCA and Mammut / Snowpulse) systems are great for air travel, especially in North America. As long as the cylinder is empty you can take it on the plane in any piece of baggage you want. It helps to have the head removed so if you do get stopped by TSA they can clearly see that the cylinder is empty. The BCA canisters are nice in that you can unscrew the entire head of the cylinder by hand (just make sure it's empty first). My wife and I flew up to Alaska in the spring an had a pair of these in our carry on. We left them packed in our bags through security and didn't get any questions on them from TSA in either airport. Getting these refilled was easy enough - we found a dive shop in Anchorage that refilled them in about 10 minutes for $10 each.

Post a Comment

Fills and packs easy

Familiarity: I've used it several times

I haven't had a problem finding a place to fill mine. It has the paintball fill port (as mentioned already), and most dive shops carry the correct adaptor as well. I also have my own adaptor for the cylinder to be filled directly from a SCUBA tank, though, in case the shop doesn't have an adaptor for the compressor.

Post a Comment

Refilling is easy

I have had great experience with refilling and traveling with my cylinder. Scuba and paintball shops can refill it no problem. The fill port on it is a standard 1/8th inch paintball fill port so scuba shops do need an adaptor but it seems to be a common adaptor and most scuba shops have them. When you go on trips I would definitely plan ahead and make sure you know where you going to get your cylinder refilled, but I have had no issues. BCA has a map on their website where you can search for BCA certified refill centers. You can travel on a plane with it as long as the cylinder head is unscrewed from the cylinder and TSA can see inside it. I have never even been questioned at the airport.

Post a Comment

Oxygen is a Cinch

Familiarity: I've used it several times

Looks like these are getting around. I brought it to a SCUBA shop to see if they'd fill it up and they said 'yes' before I even finished my sentence. It takes ~hour, costs only a couple of dollars, and you're ready to go. It's a simple 2-step process to get it hooked up into the pack and will only take a few seconds. Make sure to dub check the pressure before you head out (easily read thru a window on the cylinder's sleeve inside your pack) and get to trail breaking. Have fun be safe.

Post a Comment

"When full, this is considered HazMat - in order to ship it full, you would need to go to a HazMat certified center. We actually have our own HazMat team that deals with this, but for this reason we can only ship via UPS ground within the US."

But this cylinder is shipped empty, so why can it only ship via UPS ground?

Float cylinder must be empty when flying with major commercial airlines in North America. Release air from cylinder before arriving at the airport.

When full, this is considered HazMat - in order to ship it full, you would need to go to a HazMat certified center. We actually have our own HazMat team that deals with this, but for this reason we can only ship via UPS ground within the US.